Protocol & Strategic Engagements Specialist, Political Affairs and Advocacy Branch, Office of the Executive Director (OED), New York, P-3

About the role

The Protocol and Strategic Engagements Specialist is located in the Political Affairs and Advocacy Branch (PAAB) within the Office of the Executive Director (OED) and reports to the Chief, Political Affairs and Advocacy Branch. PAAB serves as the principal political affairs and Member State engagement capability for UNFPA’s executive leadership, providing political intelligence, strategic advice, and coordination of executive-level engagement with Member States and other high-level stakeholders. The Specialist supports the effective preparation, coordination, and follow-up of executive leadership engagements, ensuring they are strategically prepared, effectively delivered, and systematically followed up.

The role involves substantive drafting, briefing support, and protocol coordination for high-level meetings, events, and missions. The Specialist works closely with the Executive Front Office, Strategic Leadership Communications Unit, Executive Board Branch, Division for External Relations, regional and country offices, and other relevant business units.

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The organization’s Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 focuses on ending unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal deaths, gender-based violence, and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

Responsibilities

• Executive Briefing, Drafting, and Messaging
  • Prepare speeches, remarks, talking points, briefing notes, messages, correspondence, and other substantive materials for the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, and other members of executive leadership.
  • Draft and coordinate briefing materials for meetings with Member States, government counterparts, senior United Nations officials, and other external stakeholders.
  • Synthesize substantive, political, and contextual inputs into concise, coherent, and audience-appropriate materials.
  • Contribute to developing clear messages and narratives around UNFPA’s mandate, programme priorities, and strategic initiatives.
  • Support the preparation of key messages, press lines, media briefs, event summaries, and other communications materials in coordination with the Strategic Leadership Communications Unit.
  • Review and edit materials to ensure accuracy, consistency, appropriate tone, and alignment with UNFPA’s mandate and executive priorities.
• Member State and Strategic Partner Engagement
  • Support the preparation and follow-up of executive leadership engagement with Permanent Missions, Member State representatives, and government counterparts.
  • Prepare background information, stakeholder profiles, meeting objectives, talking points, and other materials for bilateral and group-level engagements.
  • Support executive leadership engagement with external partners, including the private sector, foundations, civil society organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
  • Coordinate inputs from headquarters, regional, and country offices to ensure engagement materials reflect substantive priorities and political context.
  • Maintain records of key engagements, decisions, commitments, and follow-up actions.
  • Contribute to institutional knowledge on executive-level relationships and engagements.
• Protocol and High-Level Engagement Coordination
  • Provide protocol guidance in accordance with United Nations practices for executive-level engagements.
  • Coordinate preparation for high-level meetings, official events, ceremonies, receptions, and other engagements involving executive leadership.
  • Prepare or coordinate agendas, programmes, scenarios, speaking orders, seating arrangements, protocol notes, biographies, and participant information.
  • Liaise with Permanent Missions, United Nations protocol counterparts, host governments, and event organizers on protocol and engagement requirements.
  • Coordinate with substantive, communications, security, travel, and administrative colleagues to ensure high-level engagements are appropriately prepared.
  • Support official visits by senior government officials and dignitaries, ensuring coordinated substantive preparation and protocol arrangements.
  • Coordinate with regional and country offices, Permanent Missions, government counterparts, and external partners in preparing executive missions.
• Political, Partner, and Media Monitoring
  • Monitor political, intergovernmental, partner, and media developments relevant to UNFPA’s mandate and executive engagements.
  • Prepare concise updates, summaries, and briefing notes for the Chief of Branch and executive leadership on developments requiring attention.
  • Monitor developments and public positioning relevant to planned executive engagements, flagging potential sensitivities or opportunities.
  • Support situational awareness of key Member State and stakeholder developments relevant to executive engagement.
  • Contribute research and analysis to political briefs, stakeholder mapping, and strategic engagement planning.
• Coordination and Follow-up
  • Coordinate with OED teams, headquarters divisions, regional offices, and country offices to ensure timely preparation of executive engagements.
  • Track decisions, commitments, requests, and action points from executive meetings and facilitate timely follow-up.
  • Maintain systems for tracking executive engagements, briefing requirements, and follow-up actions.
  • Anticipate upcoming requirements and identify gaps or delays requiring attention.
  • Support coordination across teams to ensure consistency between substantive preparation, political engagement, communications, protocol, and logistics.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned by the Chief, Political Affairs and Advocacy Branch.

Requirements

• Education: Advanced university degree (minimum Master’s degree or equivalent) in international relations, political science, diplomacy, communications, public policy, international development, law, public administration, or a related field.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in international relations, political affairs, diplomacy, protocol, strategic communications, external relations, or executive support.
  • Demonstrated experience preparing speeches, remarks, talking points, briefing notes, and other materials for senior leadership.
  • Experience supporting high-level engagement with Member States, Permanent Missions, government officials, or senior stakeholders in an international or multilateral environment.
  • Knowledge of diplomatic protocol and practices for high-level official engagements, visits, and events.
  • Experience coordinating complex high-level meetings, official events, visits, or missions involving senior leadership.
  • Strong analytical, research, drafting, and editing skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information into concise materials.
  • Experience coordinating across multiple organizational units and stakeholders under tight deadlines.
  • Experience supporting engagement with external partners (private sector, foundations, civil society, or NGOs) is desirable.
  • Experience preparing communications and media-related materials (key messages, press lines, media briefs) is desirable.
  • Experience in the United Nations system or a comparable international organization is highly desirable.
  • Knowledge of the United Nations system, multilateral processes, and UNFPA’s mandate is desirable.
• Languages: Fluency in English is required; working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Skills

• Values: Exemplifying integrity, demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, embracing cultural diversity, embracing change.
• Core Competencies: Achieving results, being accountable, developing and applying professional expertise, thinking analytically and strategically, working in teams/managing relationships.
• Functional Competencies: Creating visibility for UNFPA, supporting global leadership and advocacy for ICPD goals, organizational awareness, job knowledge/technical expertise.

Benefits

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity, and healthy work-life balance.